Sheffield Home of Football charity appoints new chief executive to push forward city museum plan

Nick Partridge, the former head of Sheffield Libraries & Archives, has been appointed to the post for the Sheffield Home of Football organisation.

His job will entail overseeing the development of an education programme about the city’s unique footballing history, as well as pushing the museum plans forward.

Mr Partridge led Sheffield Libraries and Archives for eight years until 2022, after having worked across corporate strategy and performance to project managing change in children and adult social care for Local authorities in Sheffield and Doncaster.

In the 2022 New Year’s Honours List he received the British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to public libraries and was cited for his work on ‘placemaking using Sheffield’s football heritage.

He said: “I became passionate about Sheffield’s football heritage after being inspired by an author talk by the late Sheffield football historian Martin Westby in one of our libraries.

“I then found funds from the region’s Society of Chief Librarians to develop a Sheffield Home of Football Walking App using Martin’s extensive knowledge of the key places around the city where football-related historic events had taken place.

“I don’t claim to be an expert on the historic football detail, or even have a footballing ‘brain’, but I am passionate about Sheffield, and how we can use its unique football heritage to educate and celebrate what this city has done in forging the world’s favourite game”.

Last year Mr Partridge created space in Central Library for displays organised by FURD (Football Unites Racism Divides) to celebrate the role of women in football in the city, and the libraries hosted several cultural activities alongside the Women’s Euros, which saw a number of games playing at Sheffield United’s stadium..

He also organised the ‘Sheffield Football Treasures’ day at the Sheffield Central Library in 2018 to celebrate the 160th anniversary of the Sheffield Rules.

The role of Chief Executive is on a voluntary basis until the charity can secure funding for its work.